Weighing instrument.



No. 822,804. PATENTED JUNE 5, 1906.. H. M. WILLIS.

WEIGHING INSTRUMENT.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 25, 1904.

24' 20 9 5 0 I 2/ /5 llmmw Z (6 I 6H3 Q lmmlmh ATTOR EY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY M. WILLIS, OF EAST WILLISTON, NEW YORK.

WEIGHING INSTRUMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 5, 1906.

Application filed August 25,1904. Serial No. 222,051.

To all whom it may-concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY M. WILLIS, a citizen of the United States, residing in East Williston, Nassau county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Weighing Instruments, of which the following is a description.

This invention relates, generally speaking,

to wei hing instruments, and particularly to scales or weighing light articles, such as letters.

An object of my invention is to produce a letter-scale which will be quite accurate, simple in construction, and cheap of production.

Another object of my invention is to provide a letter-scale of a construction such that it may be used as an eflective advertising medium.

With the above objects in view, together with others which will be disclosed and readily understood during the course of this description, my invention consists in the parts, features, and combinations of elements hereinafter described and claimed.

Primarily it should be understood that my scale may be made of any material found suitable and desirable for the purpose; but, preferably, I make the same of a uminium, inasmuch as this metal is light, strong, susceptible of manipulation for the purposes of the scale, and is suitable for the application of an advertisement and its use as an advertising medium. It will be understood, however, that I do not purpose confining my invention to its production from aluminium.

In the drawings accompanying this description, Figure 1 shows my sca e in its preferred form in front elevation. Fig. 2 is a righthand edge view of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail view, partly in section, showing the clamp or gripping-jaws for suspending the weight of the article to be weighed, and Fig. 4 is a deindicated by 3 and is tail in elevation showing the manner in which the pivoted clamp is manipulated to open the same for insertion of an article to be weighed.

Referring to the drawin s, the numeral 1 indicates, generally, the body of the scale, the same constituting the balance. The weight of the balance resides in the enlarged portion 2, which, as shown, is given a symmetrical rounded. form. The head of the balance is iven a semicircular form around its top an one edge. Around the edge of this semicircular portion are placed the calibrations to indicate the Weight of the article suspended. At the rear edge or at a suitable point opposite the calibrations the head of the balance is rovided with the arm 4, the same being pre erably made integral therewith, although obviously it ma e made separate and applied thereto by so derin or other suitable means. To the outer end 0 the arm 4 is pivoted at 5 the clam in holding, or other suspending means. l re erably I employ a clamp consisting of the levers 6 and 7 pivoted together at 8. The lever 6 is made in two sections, each of which is composed of the handle 9 at one end and the clamping-jaw 10 at the other end. Inter mediate its ends each jaw is provided with the offset portion 11, having a perforation for the reception of the pivot-pin 5, the ofiset portions of the two parts receiving between them the arm 4. Each part of the lever 6 is provided with ELI. inturned lug 12 and a laterally-extending guiding-finger 13, and the handle 9 and jaw 10 are provided with the rivet-h les 14. The handle 9 is also rovided with an inclined cut or recess fort e reception of the flat end of a curved s ring 15, the outer end of which bears upon t e handle 16 of the other lever 7. This lever 7 is preferably made of asingle piece of material, and

its end opposite the handle is formed into the complemental clampin -jaw 17. When the clamp is put together, t e lever 7 is placed between the two sections or parts of the lever 6 and the latter are riveted together by means of pins entering the holes 14, or said two parts may be soldered, brazed, or otherwise held together. The two lugs 12 will then cooperate to form a brace or stop which will engage the lower edge of the arm4for the purpose of limiting the movement of the clamp in that direction. The uiding-fingers 13 will receive between themt e upper portion of the jaw 17, which latter will be prevented thereby from having lateral movement relatively to the lever 6 or any twisting movement on the pivot 8, the jaw 17 thus always being held properly in contact with its opposing" jaw 10. The fingers 13 are sufficiently extensive to always guideand maintain the lever 7'in its proper operative lane. (See Fig. 4.) The spring 15 normal y holds the jaws 10 and 17 in gripping-contact, and the ends of these jaws are turned toward each other and formed with contact-points 18, so as to firmly and effectively clamp and hold the article to be wei hed.

The balance has pivotally secured tIiereto substantially in the center of its head 3, as at 19, the yoke 20, which embraces said head, as

IIC

2 saasoe shown in Fig. 2. The pivotal action between theyoke 20 and the head of the balance or beam is quite free or easy, as Wlll be readily understood. The front bar of the yoke 2Q is provided with the indicator orfinger 2 wlnch cooperates with the calibrations to ind cate the weight of the article held by the aws. To suspend the scale and enable it to perform its function by having absolute freedomof movement, the yoke is suspended by the ring 22, which is passed between the bars of the voke and is located in the crotch of the latter. In order to reduce friction and provide a pivotal connection between the ring and the yoke, the latter is depressed at 23 or otherwise provided in its crotch with a pivotal point or projection 24 to engage the inner surface of the ring. This means for suspending the scale is essential to its proper operation, inasmuch as a rigid connection between the yoke and ring would render it ineffective and without function as a scale.

It is intended that the body portion 2 shall have applied theretothe name of the owner,

his business, &c., or any other indicia constituting an advertisement, and it will readily be understood that both the back and the front may have applied thereto any design or any character calculated to advertise ones wares or business.

From the above detail description the operation will be readily understood,.it being borne in mind that the balance is so pro ortioned or wei hted that when suspende by taking hold of the ring 22 the same will hang with the part 2 directly below the pivot 19 and the yoke 20 will stand vertically with its indicator 2 at zero. In order to place an article to be weighed in the clamp, the head 3 may be held between the thumb and second finger and the first fin er reaching over into engagement with the andle 16 of the lever 7, thus forcing the handle 9 of the lever 6 into engagement with the upper edge of the arm 4. (See Fig. 4.) Then pressure upon the handle 16 will separate jaw 17 from jaw 10 and compress the spring 15. The letter'or other article may now be placed between the jaws 10 and 17, the handle 16 released, and

,the scale suspended by the ring. The clamp Will firmly grip and hold the article and assume the vertical position shownin Fig. 1, with the balance in the position shown and the indicator 21 pointing the weight of the article in the calibrations.

It may be that from constant use the ends of the two ripping-jaws 10 and 17 may become slightfy worn, and thereby reduce their efficiency as gri ping or holding jaws. To avoid this, or w en such a thing occurs, the ends of said jaws may be provided with caps or covers 25, Fig. 4, to create friction and prevent wear on the said ends. These caps or covers may be made of any frictional material, hard or soft, leather, rubber, and felt having been found efficient. These caps or covers may be secured tothe ends of the jaws in any suitable manner.

From the above'description it will be seen that I have produced a simple, cheap, and effective weighing instrument for weighing letters and other light articles, that I have produced a weighing instrument which can be made of light metals, precious, or of other character, and that I have produced a weighing instrument which is highly effective as an advertising medium.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A weighing instrument comprising a balance having calibrations disposed thereon, and a laterally-extending arm; in combination; with means for pivotally supporting said balance; a pointer cooperating with said calibrations; a spring-clamp pivoted to said arm; said clamp and arm having means between them for limiting the movement of the former relatively to the balance in two directions in the plane of the surface of the latter.

2. A Weighing instrument comprising a balance having calibrations disposed there on, and a laterally-extending arm; in combination with means for pivotally supporting said balance; a pointer cooperating with said calibrations; and a spring-clamp, pivoted to said arm, having means cooperating with said arm for limiting the movement of said clamp relatively to said balance'in two directions in the plane of the surface of the latter.

3. A weighing instrument comprising a balance having calibrations disposed there on, and a laterally-extending arm; in combination with means for su porting said balance pivotally connected 1316113170 and having a pointer cooperating with said calibrations; and a pivotally-supported spring-clamp, hav ing means cooperating with said arm, for limiting the movement of said clamp relatively to said balance in two directions in th plane of the surface of the latter.

4. A weighing instrument comprising a balance having a head portion of semicircular form provided with calibrations, said head also having a laterally-extending arm; in combination with means for pivotally supporting said balance having a pointer coop erating with said calibrations; and a springclamp, pivoted to said arm, havin means 00- operating with the latter for limiting its movement relatively to the balance in two directions in the plane of the surface of the latter.

5. A Weighing instrument comprising a balance having a weighted body portion; a head portion of semicircular form provided with calibrations and having a laterally-extending arm; in combination with means for pivotally supporting the balance having a pointer cooperating with said calibrations;

and a clamp, pivoted tosaid arm, having means cooperating with the latter for limiting its movement relatively to the balance in two directions in the plane of the surface of the latter.

6. A weighing instrument com rising a balance having a laterally-exten ing arm and means affording a pivotal support; in combination with a clamp comprising a pair of pivotally-connectedlevers, one of the levers being in two sections and each of which latter has an offset portion embracing the said arm and pivotall connected thereto; and means for causingt e levers to clamp agiven article.

7. A weighing instrument com rising a balance having a laterally-exten ing arm and means aliording a pivotal sup ort; in combination with a clamp compose of two principal parts and one of which parts is 20 made in two sections each having an ofiset portion embracing the said arm and pivotally connected thereto; means for connecting the two clamp parts; and means for holding the clamp parts yieldingly together. 7

8. A weighing instrument com rising abalance having a laterally-exten ing arm and means afiording a pivotal support; in combination with a clamping device pivotally supported on said arm and comprising a pan of pivotally-connected spring-controlled clamping-jaws; the two jaws having means between their pivot and clamping ends for preventing lateral or twisting action of the same relatively at the pivot.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY M. WILLIS.

Witnesses:

DAVID A. HOWELL, M. HERsKovrrz. 

